The present invention relates to a forage box container for hauling livestock feed or other field crops. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved apron mechanism, the apron mechanism for delivering the feed contents of the box container toward a discharge opening in the forage box container for discharge from the forage box container.
A forage box container is essentially a container utilized to transport livestock feed. The container may be mounted on a wagon chassis and towed by a powered vehicle. The container may be mounted on a truck chassis. The transport is usually from the field in which the feed was harvested to a feed storage facility, where the feed is stored for later provision to the livestock. Such transport is frequently along public roads, where maximum vehicle widths are set by the authorities and enforced.
Most commonly a forage box container is used to haul corn that is chopped as it is harvested from the field. In this condition, most of the entire corn plant is conveyed into the forage box container for transportation and later use as feed. Such corn may be quite heavy and may adhere to the side walls of the forage box container, especially when the corn is wet.
Forage box containers typically include powered mechanisms for removing the feed from the forage box container. These powered mechanisms typically include aprons in the floor of the forage box container. Aprons are specially shaped chains that are drawn lengthwise along the floor of the box container from the front to the rear of the box container. Bars, typically constructed of angle iron, are transversely affixed to the apron chains and are drawn forward by the apron chains, pulling the feed rearward in the box container as the bars move rearward. The feed is then discharged from the box container at the rear of the box container through an opening defined at the bottom of a top hinged rear door. The rear door also functions as a side member of the box container (in conjunction with the other three sides of the box container) when the rear door is in a latched and closed disposition.
Forage box containers typically have side mounted drive mechanisms for powering the aprons. The drive mechanisms are typically mounted exterior to the box container itself. The side mounting of these mechanisms has at least two disadvantages. The first is that the total width of the forage box container must conform to the maximum width of a vehicle permitted to travel on a highway. The width dimension of the drive mechanism (being mounted exterior to the box container itself) contributes to the total width of the forage box container. Accordingly, the box container width dimension of the forage box container must be reduced by the amount of the width of the drive mechanism in order for the forage box container to be in compliance with the maximum width limitation for travel on a highway. The reduced width of the box container substantially reduces the capacity of the box container, requiring more trips to transport a given quantity of feed.
A second disadvantage of the side mounted drive mechanism is that the apron bars are powered from only the side of the forage box container on which the drive mechanism is mounted. Heavy, wet feed in the forage box container adheres to the inner sides of the forage box container and resists being moved rearward by the aprons for discharge. Since the aprons are powered only at one side, great span-wise bending forces are generated in the individual bars of the apron mechanism. These forces may bend the bars or twist the bars to such a degree that the apron mechanism becomes inoperable. The feed must then be manually removed from the forage box container and repairs of the apron mechanism effected before the forage box container may be used again.
What is needed in the industry is a forage box container in which the width of the box container can take full advantage of the maximum width dimension allowable for travel on a highway in order to maximize the capacity of the box container. Further, it would be an advantage to minimize the effects that a load of heavy, wet feed can have on the apron mechanism.
The forage box of the present invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs of the industry. The width dimension of the box container is substantially the full dimension (typically, eight feet) allowable for transport on public highways, thereby maximizing the capacity of the box container. Further, the drive mechanism for the apron mechanism is centered in the box container with a split apron bar disposed on either side of the drive mechanism. By powering the apron mechanism from a center position, the twisting forces generated on the apron mechanism by the act of trying to discharge feed from the box container are substantially reduced and the potential for damaging the apron mechanism during feed discharge operations is minimized.
The present invention is an apron system for use with a forage box container include split aprons having a first apron and a second apron, the first apron having a pair of spaced apart, continuous, advancing chains lying along a forage box container longitudinal dimension, a plurality of spaced apart, transverse bars extending substantially between the pair of spaced apart chains, each of the plurality of bars being operably coupled to each of the pair of advancing chains, the first apron being disposed in the forage box container bed first half. The second apron has a pair of spaced apart, continuous, advancing chains lying along the forage box container longitudinal dimension, a plurality of spaced apart, transverse bars extending substantially between the pair of spaced apart chains, each of the plurality of bars being operably coupled to each of the pair of advancing chains, the second apron being disposed in the forage box container bed second half. A drive mechanism is disposed substantially coincident with the forage box container longitudinal axis and being operably coupled to the split apron system for imparting advancing motion to the advancing chains thereof. The present invention is further a forage box container that includes the above described apron system. Additionally, the present invention is a forage box container wagon that includes the above described apron system.